Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, situated at the southwestern tip of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range.
The Wellington Urban Area is the major population centre of the southern North Island and ranks as New Zealand's third most populous urban area with 381,900 residents.
Wellington was named in honour of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington and victor of the Battle of Waterloo.
In 1865, Wellington became the capital of New Zealand, replacing Auckland, where William Hobson had established his capital in 1841.
Wellington is New Zealand's political centre, housing Parliament and the head offices of all Government Ministries and Departments, plus the bulk of the foreign diplomatic missions that are based in New Zealand.
Wellington has the 12th best quality of living in the world, according to a 2007 study by consulting company Mercer.
Source: Wikipedia
